Butler County’s unsolved homicides get new attention

Hope Dudley’s son was killed in a drive-by shooting in Hamilton County 10 years ago. On Friday, the 66-year-old marked her son’s unsolved homicide by helping grieving families in Butler County.

“Helping them helps me,” Dudley said standing in the lobby of the Butler County Sheriff’s office preparing to hang a poster titled “Butler County Unsolved Homicides: Can you help find who killed me?”

Dudley became an activist for her son’s death as well as others in Hamilton County, founding the group U-Can-Speak-For-Me. The group uses posters, flyers and playing cards depicting victims that are distributed in prisons and jails, along with any public location that might catch the eye of someone with information.

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This year, after meeting victim’s families at a Butler County candlelight memorial, Dudley decided to develop a poster featuring unsolved cases in the county.

The poster features 20 Butler County cases, but Dudley said there is room for more if police agencies or family members want to call her to be included.

About 20 family members of victims gathered at the the sheriff’s office Friday to see the posters.

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“Everybody in this room, you have my compassion and my prayers are with you. … I think it is a brilliant idea to put these posters up and have them up in the jail,” Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones told those gathered.

There are about 1,000 prisoners in the Butler County Jail, according to Jones, and “everyone is connected to everyone …. people in jails and prisons know lots of things, they know lots of people and people talk. Anywhere we can put these posters up we will. And if it helps with one (unsolved homicide), we have done wonderfully.”

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Dudley said she is hopeful someone will come forward in all the Butler County cases featured on the poster.

Dudley said families wanting their loved ones included can give her a call at 513-404-3063.


Cases included on Butler County unsolved homicide poster:

  • Calvin Simmons Jr., killed Sept. 16, 2016 on University Boulevard, Hamilton
  • Jaylon Knight, killed March 11, 2016, 200 block of Charles St., Hamilton
  • Christopher "CJ" Sandle, killed Jan. 13, 2016, 400 block of Millville Ave., Hamilton
  • Eric A. Givens II, killed July 5, 2016 on Walnut St., Hamilton
  • Anthony Broadus, killed June 3, 2015, East side of Hamilton
  • Broderick McGee, killed March 16, 2013, on Central Avenue in Hamilton
  • Chelsea Johnson, killed April 15, 2012, found next to a creek on Fairfield
  • William "Billy" DiSivestro, missing on Feb. 7, 2011, last seen on Hamilton's Westside
  • Katelyn Markham, August 2011 disappeared from her Fairfield home. April 2013, remains found in Cedar Grove, Ind.
  • Frenchman Minnifield, killed on Jan. 8, 2004, on South Second Street, Hamilton
  • Eric "Josh" Bruce, killed on April 22, 1997, at William and Neilan Blvd., Hamilton
  • Robert Leon Johnson, killed on June 16, 1996, on South Monument Street, Hamilton
  • Richard Mincher, killed on Aug. 20, 1993, on Dixie Highway, Hamilton
  • Nancy Abrams, killed March 10, 1985, King Kwik Store at 1422 S. Breiel Blvd, Middletown
  • Alana "Laney" Gwinner, Dec. 10, 1997 disappeared from Gilmore Bowling Lanes. On Jan. 11, 1998, her body was found in the Ohio River near Warsaw, Ky.
  • Christina L. Carnes, killed on Jan. 20, 1994, on Mack Road, Fairfield
  • Joseph W. Oakley, killed on Aug. 30, 2012, on Pleasant Avenue, Fairfield
  • Damien T. Taylor, killed on March 15, 2012, on Winton Road, Fairfield
  • Robert Fields, killed on July 14, 1997, on Village St., Hamilton
  • Bryant Johnson, killed on April 27, 2013, on 12th Street, Hamilton
  • Also included is Corey Mitchell, killed on May 29, 2010, on Paul Lawrence Dunbar in Dayton

Anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-352-3040. or text “cintip” plus your message to “274637.” All callers remain anonymous.

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